Tonight, the leader of the Opposition is both condemning and defending UDP Vice-chairman Alberto August for the quote: "violent" behaviour that he exhibited toward a female supporter of the PUP.
August was caught on camera during the Teakettle village elections on Sunday shoving Marie Welcome after she hit one of his political signs.
When we asked Shyne Barrow about it today, he said he sympathized with August but nevertheless felt the need to publicly apologize for the vice chairman's behaviour.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Certainly I saw the video and on behalf of the UDP, I certainly wish to apologize to the public. Um, for that type of behaviour, um, with all things considered Ms Welcome did attack the Vice-Chairman Alberto August but notwithstanding it is inexcusable to hit anyone and certainly to hit a woman, regardless of the context because if we go down that road of picking and choosing when it's okay to hit women I believe that is a dangerous path to go down and I encourage all of our soldiers who are out there on the battlefields, it gets hostile, it gets venomous, it gets hysterical. You can rally just like Martin Luther King. He was one of the most compelling activists who was not a coward who was courageous, who would stand up for what he believed in and spoke loudly and convincingly but he would not cross the line of violence."
"That is the policy that I have 0 tolerance for any type of violence and certainly for violence against women. In this instance it is not an accusation, I saw the video and anyone that saw the video saw that they both hit each other. He hit her. Well, she hit him first and he reacted and I am saying that under no circumstances should the reaction be violence especially as pertains to a woman."
Cherisse Halsall:
"So two things Sir, first I have to challenge you, did she hit him or did she hit his sign?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Again, it could be debated that it was the sign it could be debated that he hit her with his sign and he didn't hit her with his hand. They hit each other. Whether her hand touched his hand or, you know there was aggression, violent aggression on both parts provoked by Ms Welcome. It is not the first complaint that we've had. We've had that she kicked other people and been violently aggressive with other people and we don't countenance that type of behaviour certainly from an elected official of the party."
"We have to condemn any type of violent behaviour, even if it is in defence. Even if it is a reaction and we are all human but it is not what we expect from the elected of our party."
So what if any sanction will be taken against Deputy Chairman Alberto August? Leader Barrow was specifically vague on that one, saying quote: "The UDP Constitution allows for due process before sanctions can be levied."
